State Politics & News
Coverage of state politics, elections, and conservative policy battles across all 50 states shaping America’s future.
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- News
Recess Consultant Hired in Minnesota Schools, Kids Get Coached Through Play Time
What happens when an adult steps onto the recess playground with new rules and a game list in hand that reads “Animal Tag,” “Four Square Volleyball,” and “Basketball Bowling?” Two elementary schools in the Minneapolis area, in the town of Edina, have gone from the usual “on duty” recess supervisor to hiring a recess consultant….Leah Jessen -
- News
Paul Ryan Questions Ex-Im Bank’s Role in Wisconsin GE Plant Closing
ELKHORN, Wis.—General Electric last week announced it was closing its Waukesha, Wis., plant and moving to Canada because Congress did not reauthorize the Export-Import Bank. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., addressed the issue Monday, explaining why he’s personally opposed to the bank and what really prompted GE’s move. Ryan, who chairs the House Ways and Means…Bill Osmulski -
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Judge Orders Arkansas to Pay Planned Parenthood for Treatment of Three Patients
A judge has ordered the state of Arkansas to continue payments to Planned Parenthood on behalf of three Medicaid patients who sued the state after Gov. Asa Hutchinson attempted to defund the organization. U.S. District Judge Kristine Baker issued a preliminary injunction mandating that the state continue to pay for three unidentified women—referred to as Jane…Kate Scanlon -
- Opinion
Why Michigan’s Attorney General Has Backed Forfeiture Reform
Civil forfeiture reformers in Michigan just gained an unlikely but welcome ally: Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette. To date, the forfeiture debate in virtually every state has been characterized by a stiff divide between reformers demanding change and a law enforcement establishment implacably opposed to it. Schuette’s endorsement of reform legislation seems to be breaking…Jason Snead -
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21 Questions With Washington Florist Who Refused to Serve Gay Wedding
Barronelle Stutzman, more commonly known as the “Washington florist,” came under fire this year for refusing to make flower arrangements for a gay couple’s wedding. Stutzman, owner of Arlene’s Flowers in Richland, Wash., cited her Christian religious beliefs about marriage. After she was labeled a “bigot” by those who oppose her, The Daily Signal sat down with…Kelsey Bolar -
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Chicago Aldermen Seek to Stifle Growing Food Truck Industry
Two aldermen introduced ordinances to restrict food carts in Chicago, less than a day after they were legalized by the City Council. Alderman Brendan Reilly’s ordinance would ban the carts in certain upscale areas, and Alderman Tom Tunney’s would ban them around Wrigley Field. Bennett Lawson, Tunney’s chief of staff, told the Chicago Tribune “there’s no…Sara Jones -
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Combat Veteran Stands Up to Oregon Shooter, Survives Seven Bullets
North Carolina native Chris Mintz has emerged as a hero after yesterday’s tragic shooting at Umpqua Community College in Oregon. Mintz, who spent ten years with the U.S. Army including an overseas deployment, reportedly ran toward the gunfire to help other students get to safety. Mintz, 30, then allegedly stood up to shooter Chris Harper Mercer…Leah Jessen -
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California Labor Union That Fought for $15 Minimum Wage Now Wants an Exemption
The labor union that led the charge for a $15 minimum wage hike in cities across California is now moving to secure an exemption for employers under union contracts. The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor buried the exemption on the eighth page of its 12-page proposal for the Santa Monica City Council to review…Natalie Johnson -
- Opinion
Washington Gimmickry Protects Planned Parenthood
One of the reasons Washington works so well for the well-connected is because opaque congressional procedures often determine the real policy outcome well in advance of the actual policy debate. This afternoon will provide yet another example of such duplicitous maneuver. The House will vote on a rule to govern debate on a seemingly innocuous…Mike Needham -
- Opinion
A Huge Education Innovation May Get Squashed in Nevada
In January, Beverly Rogers, wife of late Nevada media mogul Jim Rogers, told 25 students at Reynaldo Martinez Elementary School in north Las Vegas she was launching a new foundation to honor her husband’s memory. The first act of the Rogers Foundation, she told the kids: each of them would get a full ride to college,…Mary Tillotson -
- Opinion
California’s Drought: Not an Environmental Problem. An Environmentalist Problem.
SACRAMENTO, Calif.—I was walking through downtown Sacramento recently when raindrops started falling. People on the street stopped dead in their tracks, looked up at the sky, and began acting giddy. “What’s that?” I asked a man. “I think it’s something called rain,” he responded. Such is the gallows humor in a state that hasn’t seen substantial…Steven Greenhut -
- Opinion
Michigan Lawmakers Win on Overcriminalization Reform
Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. said even a dog knows the difference between “being stumbled over and being kicked.” Our criminal law traditionally distinguished between stumblers and kickers: those who commit a morally blameworthy act, called an actus reus, along with an “evil” frame of mind, known as mens rea or scienter. Legislators maintained that distinction…John-Michael Seibler -
- News
West Virginia House Speaker Wants to Make Sure Planned Parenthood Isn’t Receiving State Funds
This post has been updated to include a response from a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, who returned our request for comment after this article was published. The Speaker of the West Virginia House of Delegates has asked the state’s Department of Health and Human Resources to provide lawmakers with information about any payments…Kate Scanlon -
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New York Times Declines to Publish Congressman’s Criticism of Iran Deal ‘Jew Tracker’
The New York Times declined to publish Republican Rep. Peter Roskam’s letter to the editor condemning its heavily criticized graphic that tracked members of Congress opposed to the Iran nuclear agreement, initially singling out Jewish lawmakers with a bold yellow highlight. Roskam said he was “disappointed” the Times chose not to publish his letter, which…Natalie Johnson -
- Opinion
Hollywood’s Idea of Tolerance: Mocking Kentucky Clerk Kim Davis at the Emmys
There’s nothing funnier than laughing at a woman trying to stay true to her beliefs. That appears to be the understanding of Emmy host Andy Samberg, who, during his opening monologue, decided to single out Kim Davis, the Democrat Kentucky clerk who was jailed for her refusal to issue same-sex marriage licenses. (Warning: The quote…Katrina Trinko -
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California Governor Vows to Override Democrat-Led Legislature on Climate Change Regulations
Jerry Brown isn’t used to losing in the California Legislature. And even though defections from a raft of fellow Democrats in Sacramento forced the second-term governor to abandon two sweeping anti-carbon measures, Brown vows to implement them anyway—through executive order. “I’d say oil has won a skirmish, but they’ve lost the bigger battle, because I am…Rob Nikolewski -
- Opinion
Chicago Adds Ridiculous 9% “Cloud Tax” on Netflix and Other Streaming Services
Streaming companies like Netflix, Spotify, and Amazon Prime are revolutionizing how Americans consume media content. These wildly popular services enable ubiquitous and virtually instantaneous access to expansive catalogues of music, movies, and TV shows. Streaming is big business, and Chicago wants a piece of the action. On Sept. 1, the city’s controversial new “cloud tax”…Jason Snead -
- News
‘Everything Is Just Going Crazy’: Washington Gears Up for Pope Francis’ Visit
According to Joshua Gonnerman, a doctoral student in historical theology at the Catholic University of America, it’s been anything but business as usual on campus for the past few weeks. “I honestly wouldn’t describe it as much as a buzz or an energy so much as an insanity,” Gonnerman, who has a ticket to attend…Madaline Donnelly -
- Opinion
Personal Trainers Next on Washington’s Over-Regulation List?
When Andrew Killion opened District Crossfit in 2010, he was training a few handfuls of people in a converted auto garage. Today, Killion oversees one of the largest Crossfit gyms in Washington, D.C., with six full-time employees—called “coaches” in the Crossfit lingo—who help more than 400 members sweat their way through daily workouts in a…Eric Boehm -
- News
Oregon Judge Who Won’t Officiate Gay Weddings Fights to Keep His Job
>>> Update adds judge's comments in televised interview. An Oregon judge is fighting an investigative panel’s accusation that by declining to perform same-sex weddings on religious grounds, he violated both the state’s constitution and code of conduct for judges. This and other allegations could result in the judge’s suspension or removal from office. However, a close…Ken McIntyre